Ford Explorer vs Subaru Forester: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Ford Explorer typically lists for $40,927 against $32,386 for the Subaru Forester (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). The Subaru Forester takes fuel economy (23 MPG combined vs 20 MPG); the Ford Explorer leads on NCAP safety (4.9★ vs 4.8★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the XLT at $32,146 vs the BASE PLUS at $29,116; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)
A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Ford Explorer XLT ($32,146) faces the Subaru Forester BASE PLUS ($29,116); the most common trims on the market are the XLT (33.8% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM (29.8% of Subaru Forester listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($47,722) faces the TOURING ($37,998). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.
| Ford Explorer | Subaru Forester | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| XLTMost popularCheapest | $32,146 | 33.8% | BASE PLUS ES | $24,433 | 2.7% |
| LIMITED | $33,840 | 5.5% | BASE PLUSCheapest | $29,116 | 4.5% |
| TIMBERLINE | $36,271 | 2.5% | PREMIUM BASE | $31,490 | 10.1% |
| ACTIVE | $39,995 | 17.4% | PREMIUMMost popular | $31,593 | 29.8% |
| ST-LINE | $39,999 | 17.6% | SPORT | $33,443 | 11.0% |
| PLATINUM | $45,910 | 7.0% | WILDERNESS | $35,245 | 11.0% |
| STPriciest | $47,722 | 12.8% | LIMITED | $35,516 | 14.4% |
| TREMOR | $55,325 | 2.0% | TOURINGPriciest | $37,998 | 11.1% |
Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Ford Explorer prices · Subaru Forester prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Ford Explorer typical | Subaru Forester typical | Difference | Ford Explorer MPG | Subaru Forester MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,790 | $35,608 | Ford Explorer +$10,182 | 19–24 MPG | 26–35 MPG |
| 2025 | $40,927 | $32,386 | Ford Explorer +$8,541 | 20–24 MPG | 26–35 MPG |
| 2024 | $35,786 | $29,691 | Ford Explorer +$6,095 | 20–24 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2023 | $32,791 | $28,116 | Ford Explorer +$4,675 | 20–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2022 | $29,354 | $25,699 | Ford Explorer +$3,655 | 19–27 MPG | 26–29 MPG |
| 2021 | $24,698 | $23,095 | Ford Explorer +$1,603 | 19–27 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,795 | $21,997 | Ford Explorer +$798 | 19–28 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2019 | $18,058 | $19,489 | Subaru Forester +$1,431 | 18–22 MPG | 29 MPG |
| 2018 | $16,653 | $17,212 | Subaru Forester +$559 | 18–22 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2017 | $14,488 | $15,262 | Subaru Forester +$774 | 18–22 MPG | 24–28 MPG |
| 2016 | $12,509 | $13,841 | Subaru Forester +$1,332 | 18–22 MPG | 25–27 MPG |
| 2015 | $10,752 | $11,925 | Subaru Forester +$1,173 | 18–23 MPG | 25–27 MPG |
| 2014 | $9,746 | $9,999 | Subaru Forester +$253 | 18–23 MPG | 24–27 MPG |
| 2013 | $8,499 | $8,948 | Subaru Forester +$449 | 18–23 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2012 | $7,850 | $7,995 | Subaru Forester +$145 | 19–23 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2011 | $7,900 | $7,600 | Ford Explorer +$300 | 19–20 MPG | 21–23 MPG |
| 2010 | $6,000 | $7,372 | Subaru Forester +$1,372 | 15–17 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2009 | $5,466 | $6,759 | Subaru Forester +$1,293 | 15–17 MPG | 21–22 MPG |
| 2008 | $6,120 | $5,799 | Ford Explorer +$321 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2007 | $5,007 | $6,184 | Subaru Forester +$1,177 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2006 | $5,000 | $4,995 | Ford Explorer +$5 | 15–16 MPG | 20–22 MPG |
| 2005 | $4,443 | $5,998 | Subaru Forester +$1,555 | 14–16 MPG | 19–23 MPG |
| 2003 | $5,375 | $4,771 | Ford Explorer +$604 | 15–17 MPG | 21 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Subaru Forester is cheaper: it typically lists for $32,386 versus $40,927 for the Ford Explorer (national medians, July 2026).
Which gets better fuel economy — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
The Subaru Forester: its typical rated version returns 23 MPG combined versus 20 MPG for the Ford Explorer (median across EPA-rated versions of the compared years).
Which is safer — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ford Explorer averages 4.9 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.8 for the Subaru Forester. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.
Which is more reliable — Ford Explorer or Subaru Forester?
NHTSA lists an average of 10.2 recalls per model year for the Ford Explorer and 4.9 for the Subaru Forester — an edge for the Subaru Forester. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.
Which trims should I actually compare?
Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Ford Explorer XLT typically lists for $32,146 vs $29,116 for a Subaru Forester BASE PLUS; the most common trims on the market are the XLT ($32,146, 33.8% of Ford Explorer listings) and the PREMIUM ($31,593, 29.8% of Subaru Forester listings); at the top of the market, the ST ($47,722) faces the TOURING ($37,998). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/ford/explorer/vs/subaru/forester.
Dig deeper
Ford Explorer — live listings & specs Subaru Forester — live listings & specs Ford Explorer prices by year Subaru Forester prices by year Ford Explorer MPG by year Subaru Forester MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.